Methods, data processing systems, and computer program products for assigning privacy levels to data elements

• US 8,239,916 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reeves, Jonathan, Cartwright, Karl, Craine, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Salehi, Helai
• Application Number:
  US11/593,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20080127298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,101 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 726 26- 30, 707/9
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control

Abstract

Methods, data processing systems and computer program products for assessing and assigning privacy levels to data elements are provided. A method of assigning privacy levels to data elements (e.g., text files, web page files, image files, audio files, video files, and portions thereof) includes assigning a predetermined privacy level to a data element; storing the data element with the assigned privacy level; determining if the assigned privacy level for data element is proper; and assigning a different privacy level to the data element in response to determining that a currently assigned privacy level for the data element is not proper. A predetermined privacy level may be assigned to a data element under various conditions, such as when the data element arrives at a device, when the data element is created by a device, and/or when the data element is modified by a device.

Claims

1. A method of assigning privacy levels to data elements, comprising:

automatically assigning, via a device, a predetermined privacy level to a data element when at least one of the following occurs;

the data element arrives at the device, the data element is created by the device, and the data element is modified by the device, and wherein the predetermined privacy level is selected by the device from a plurality of privacy levels, each privacy level corresponding to a respective different degree of privacy;

storing the data element with the assigned privacy level comprising attaching metadata to the data element;

at predetermined time intervals, automatically determining, via the device, if the assigned privacy level for the data element is proper, comprising analyzing the data element via the device to determine what type of data the data element is and determining what degree of privacy the data element should have;

wherein analyzing the data element via the device to determine what type of data the data element is comprises determining via the device whether the data element is one of personal medical information, personal legal information, personal financial information, and generally public information; and

automatically assigning, via the device, a different privacy level to the data element in response to determining that a currently assigned privacy level for the data element is not proper.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data element is selected from group consisting of text files, web page files, image files, audio files, video files, and portions thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the data element via the device to determine what type of data the data element is comprises searching a network for a definition of a term used in the data element.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing a user to change a privacy level assigned to a data element.

5. A data processing system that assigns privacy levels to data elements, comprising a device configured to:

automatically assign a predetermined privacy level to a data element when at least one of the following occurs;

the data element arrives at the device, the data element is created by the device, and the data element is modified by the device, and wherein the predetermined privacy level is selected from a plurality of privacy levels, each privacy level corresponding to a respective different degree of privacy;

store the data element comprising attaching metadata to the data element;

at predetermined time intervals, automatically determine if the assigned privacy level for the data element is proper, comprising analyzing the data element to determine what type of data the data element is and determining what degree of privacy the data element should have;

wherein the means for analyzing the data element to determine what type of data the data element is comprises means for determining whether the data element is one of personal medical information, personal legal information, personal financial information, and generally public information; and

automatically assign a different privacy level to the data element in response to determining that a currently assigned privacy level for the data element is not proper.

6. The data processing system of claim 5, wherein the data element is selected from group consisting of text files, web page files, image files, audio files, video files, and portions thereof.

7. The data processing system of claim 5, wherein analyzing the data element to determine what type of data the data element is comprises searching a network for a definition of a term used in the data element.

8. The data processing system of claim 5, further comprising means for allowing a user to change a privacy level assigned to a data element.

9. The data processing system of claim 5, wherein the data processing system is hosted by a device in communication with a communications network.

10. A computer program product for assigning privacy levels to data elements, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program executable with computer instructions, wherein the computer instructions comprise means for enabling a processor to;

automatically assign a predetermined privacy level to a data element when at least one of the following occurs;

the data element arrives at a device, the data element is created by the device, and the data element is modified by the device, and wherein the predetermined privacy level is selected from a plurality of privacy levels, each privacy level corresponding to a respective different degree of privacy;

store the data element comprising attaching metadata to the data element;

at predetermined time intervals, automatically determine if the assigned privacy level for the data element is proper, comprising analyzing the data element to determine what type of data the data element is and determining what degree of privacy the data element should have;

wherein analyzing the data element via the device to determine what type of data the data element is comprises determining via the device whether the data element is one of personal medical information, personal legal information, personal financial information, and generally public information; and

automatically assign a different privacy level to the data element in response to determining that a currently assigned privacy level for the data element is not proper.